Genomic responses in mouse models greatly mimic human inflammatory diseases

Abstract

The use of mice as animal models has long been considered essential in modern biomedical research, but the role of mouse models in research was challenged by a recent report that genomic responses in mouse models poorly mimic human inflammatory diseases. Here we reevaluated the same gene expression datasets used in the previous study by focusing on genes whose expression levels were significantly changed in both humans and mice. Contrary to the previous findings, the gene expression levels in the mouse models showed extraordinarily significant correlations with those of the human conditions (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient: 0.43–0.68; genes changed in the same direction: 77–93%; P = 6.5 × 10−11 to 1.2 × 10−35). Moreover, meta-analysis of those datasets revealed a number of pathways/biogroups commonly regulated by multiple conditions in humans and mice. These findings demonstrate that gene expression patterns in mouse models closely recapitulate those in human inflammatory conditions and strongly argue for the utility of mice as animal models of human disorders.

Perinatal western‐type diet and associated gestational weight gain alter postpartum maternal mood

“…First, the sample size for the human cohort was small, and findings may not be generalizable to all women with PPD/A risk. Second, animal models, although extremely valuable for translational research in many instances, cannot always translate directly to clinical populations (Seok et al., 2013; Takao & Miyakawa, 2015). The model of a Western diet that we utilized enabled us to study the components of high fat and high BCAA separately and in interaction with each other to address our mechanistic hypothesis, but at the cost of including a high carbohydrate or high sugar component, which has also been implicated in a Western‐type diet.…”

Mechanisms of NDV-3 vaccine efficacy in MRSA skin versus invasive infection

“…On the other hand, many life-saving vaccines and immunotherapeutics have been developed based in large part on proof-of-concept data from mouse models. Moreover, analyses of large datasets have recently demonstrated robust similarities between inflammation models in mice and disease in humans (54). In these respects, mouse models of SSSI may be particularly relevant for translational research.…”

Chasing the Fat Demon: Fat Chance, Buddy?

“…Still one cannot avoid facing the lingering issue of whether the populations described by Bertola et al (2012) are truly comparable with the subpopulation described by Zlotnikov-Klionsky et al (2015), let alone the unresolved issue of the suitability of murine study models of immunity, see Seok et al (2013;Takao and Miyakawa, 2015) for excellent demonstrations of both viewpoints, the problem of whether using those perforinpositive cells in mice or, if so, in man, as therapeutic or diagnostic tool, can be regarded as cause of metabolic syndrome or a result of a long list of events leading to it. In other words and leaning on a recent review from one of the pioneers in cancer research (Knudson, 2000), are we sure which fat demon to hunt?…”